Herbert peace



(No Model.)

HPBACB. AUTOMATIC RAILROAD SWITCH.

- lNo. 550,131. Patented-Nov. 19, 1895. K-

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UNITED STATES f PATENT OFFICE;

HERBERT PEACE, OF LODI, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OE ONE-HALF TO CORNELIUSVAN LOON, OE SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,131, dated November19, 1895.

Application filed April 8, 1895. Serial No. 544,874. (No model.)

To au whom t may concern/:-

Beit kno'wn that I, HERBERT PEACE, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Lodi, in the county of Bergen and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRailroad- Switches'; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to anew and useful improvement in automaticrailroad-switches, and especially (adapted to be used in connection withstreet-cars, and has for its object greater simplicity, cheapness, anddurability, as well as to facilitate the operating the switch from theplatform of the car,without the necessity of getting off of the car toturn the switch.

With these ends in view my invention consists of the peculiar featuresand combination of parts more fully described hereinafter7 and finallypointed out in the clauses of the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,l

in which like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in eachof the several figures where they occur, Figure l is a top plan view ofmy improved automatic railroadswitch, showing the track and the switchor siding, also showing the connecting mechanism for operating theswitch in dotted outlines. Fig. 2 is a part section on the line a: ofFig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the working mechanism notshowing the rail. Fig. 4 is a detail view of a modification.

In said drawings, a represents the main track having a switch or sidingb, situated at any desired place and having a switch-tongueV c, pivotedas at d, and connected at its forward end e to a lever f, placed andsecured on the under side of the rail and having a fulcrum g on the caseh, inclosing the working parts. At the forward end c' of this lever f issecured a rod or rope j, which passes over a pulley k, secured to thesaid casing h, the other end of said rod or rope being secured to an adjustable rod Z, passingv through one end of a lever m, having a fulcrum,as at n, and the forward end 'n' of said lever passing through the railo and extending beyond the same, so as to come in contact with thesurface of the wheel as soon as the same is directly on the same. Onthis end ovare secured covers o2 to better enable the wheel to press thesaid rod or lever downward, so that said depression will cause the rodor rope j to draw backward, thereby closing said switch in case the sameis opened.

Between the extending end o and the point of the switch-tongue c isplaced a presser p to Abe operated from the platform of the c ar by theoperator pressing upon a plunger secured to the bottom of thecar'andforward of the wheels, the said presser being secured at the rear end29' of the lever f and said plunger when being forced by the action ofthe operator between the outer edge of the railand the inner edge of thepresser, so that said lever is forced back, and thereby open the switchand allow the car to enter the siding, as fully shown in Fig. 1 indotted outlines. Upon the said forward end 'L' of the lever fis securedanother rod or rope q, which is connected to a 'similar pulley r,secured to the casing h and having another rod or rope s connected to anadjustable rod s', passing through the end As2 of the lever s3, havingits fulcrum, as at s4, in the box S5, and the forward end s6 of thelever passing through the rail and extending beyond the same, so as tocome in contact with the surface of the wheel. On this end S7 is securedcover S8 to better enable the wheel to depress the lever downward,thereby drawing the rod or rope backward, thereby closing theswitch-tongue, as will be readily seen upon referring to the drawings.By this construction the switch is always in a closed position, and itwill be necessary to use the plunger secured to the car to open theswitch, and as soon as the first wheel passes over the rod extendingabove the surface of the rail the switch is. again closed for the nextproceeding car to remain on the main track. These rods are placed at adistance sumcient away from the point of the switch, so that as soon asthe rst wheel passes over the rod the last wheel is out of IOOengagement with the switch, as will be manifest.

Should the car come from left to right on the siding, the action of theflange on the wheel will tend to open the switch without the aid of theplunger.

In Fig. 4 I have shown that the lever f may be 011 the outer side of therail and in a perfect straight line and having at its forward end asmall connecting-piece t, secured to the underside of the switch at theforward end thereof, and in this case the rods or ropes 7' and q aresecured permanently, as fully shown in said figure.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactconstruction shown, as various changes may be made without departingfrom the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switchtongue, a lever connected at `one end to the forward end of the switchtongue and the other end being secured to a presser placed along' sideof the rail to open said switch, a rod or rope secured to the forwardend of said lever and said rod or rope passing over a pulley secured tothe casing, said rod or rope being also secured at i its other end to alever having on-e end eX- tending beyond the surface of the rail toclose j said switch, substantially as aud for the purposes set forth.

2. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switchtongue, alever l connected at one end to said switch tongue, the otherend being attached to a presser` placed along side of the rail to opensaid rod or rope that goes to the left being secured to the leversecured on the siding, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic railroad switch the combination with a pivotal switchtongue, a lever connected at one end to a presser placed along side ofsaid rail, the other end being connected by an arm to the forward end ofsaid switch tongue, rods or ropes secured permanently to said forwardend of said lever and passing over pulleys, the other ends of each ofsaid rods or ropes being connected to levers, said levers having one endextending above the surface of the rail, said presser being operated bya plunger secured to the platform of the car to open said switch,substan tially as and for the purposes as specified.

4. In an automatic railroad switch the com bin ation with a pivotalswitch tongue c, a lever f, one end of which being secured to theforward end of the switch tongue, said lever being fulcrumed as at g onthe casing 71, rods or ropes ,7' and q secured to the forward end ofsaid lever j', said rods or ropes passing over pulleys k and fr, saidrod being' secured to an adjustable rodl passing through one end of alever m having a fulcrum fn, the other end of said lever passing throughand extending above the surface of the rail, the other rod or rope spermanently secured to the other pulley 1' and said rod or rope beingsecured to an adjustable rod s passing through one end of a lever s3having a fulerum s", the other end passing through and extending abovethe surface of the rail, said ends o' and s7 coming in contact with thesurface of the wheel to close the switch, all of said parts beingarranged and adapted to operate substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 11th day of February, 1895.

HERBERT PEAGE.

lVi tnesses:

OSCAR A. MICHEL, l. Il. WILCoX.

